Gadzooks! If you’re not already a fan of the Marvel Cinematic universe, there’s no better time than now to become one! Last week, Avengers: Age of Ultron leaked in all of its glory, showcasing the despair and hardship that faces our favourite team of cinematic heroes. Personally, the shot of Iron Man and the Hulk facing off was all it took for me to say, “Marvel, just take my ______ money!” (Feel free to use your imagination there). Seriously, if you haven’t checked it out, go do it now! As if the hype weren’t huge enough already for fans, Marvel announced on Tuesday the full lineup of their next phase of movies… and it’s a doozy! If you don’t know who Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange, and the Inhumans are now, you will in the next five years! Geeks everywhere are surely having “nerdgasms” right now, and I’m no exception. Witnessing Benedict Cumberbatch monologue and cast spells as Doctor Strange in 2016…awesome!
I am beyond excited after having processed this information—I have been a fan of comic books and superheroes for a very long time, ever since I first began to appreciate the ability to read. I have shelves at home crammed full with huge omnibuses of classic Marvel comics: the Hulk, Captain America, and so many more! I’m an avid comic book collector and I also attend Fan Expo regularly… In costume of course, so I comfortably fit the “fanboy” profile. It’s not such a bad thing to be what you would call a “nerd”. Being a geek about something, whether it be comic books, video games, or the like, just means that you are passionate about it and that you value it in your everyday life. In that respect, we are all geeky about something: sports, cars, television shows, food… We all have something in our lives that we love to talk about, something that makes us who we are. If you are a fan of comic books or video games or anything that is considered geeky, and someone calls you a nerd, embrace it! You are who you are, you love what you love, and no one has the right to force you to be someone you’re not.
I fell in love with comic books and superheroes for many reasons. I loved the colourful costumes, the dynamic battles, and the clever quips of the heroes and the villains alike. In my mind, superheroes are like modern mythological gods, with stories and trials full of adventure, anguish, courage, strength, and power. But most of all, I appreciate their sense of morality, justice, and self-sacrifice in the face of adversity and annihilation. They protect those around them who can’t defend themselves without a second thought, simply because it’s what is right and just.
Yet, as much as we love fictional heroes, we cannot forget the everyday heroes who lay down their lives for the greater good. Heroes like Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, who live on in the hearts of all those who love, respect, and honour them for their incomparable sacrifice. It is here where I try to make a difference, and you can too: give a little of yourself every day without expecting payment or reward in return. Personify the qualities of your own heroes in what you do and how you act. Today, I held the door open for others and cleaned up some waste in my residence’s stairwell—they weren’t super-heroic acts, certainly, but they sufficed to put a smile on my face or the face of another student. Becoming someone’s hero starts with being a better person, pure and simple. Volunteer, give back, do what you can to make the world a better, cleaner, more accessible place for everyone around you and you will feel or make someone else feel all the better for it. Now, I’m off to bed—my brain can only take so much excitement in a day… Talk about information overload! Gadzooks!
